Belly inspection device



p 1933. c. L. LOHNER BELLY INSPECTION DEVICE Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l CarZ Zr. Zokner INVENTOR M WITNESS ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1933. c. L. LOHNER BELLY INSPECTION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 50, 1932 CarZ l. lojynez INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS fr; 771M Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BELLY INSPECTION DEVICE poration of Delaware Application July 30, 1932. Serial No. 627,157

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for inspecting bacon slabs or bellies. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, compact means for ascertaining the presence of seeds in bellies.

Other objects will be apparent from the specification and claims which follow.

Each swine slaughtered or butchered in the conventional manner yields two bacon slabs or bellies. In the case of sow bellies, a black granular deposit is often found in the fatty tissue embedded in the mammary glands. This blackish, granular deposit is known as seeds and oftentimes may not be observed by a surface inspection, even after the nipples have been removed with the skin.

The presence of seeds is undesirable in the finished product and results in grading down of the product. I propose to ascertain the presence of seeds by passing a beam of light through the belly in an appropriate device. In order that my invention may be more thoroughly understood, I

have depicted one embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device. Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view with the hood removed. A frame 1 is mounted for convenience on wheels 2, 3, 4 and 5, and carries a reflector 6 secured by brackets '7 and 8 affixed to the frame as at 9 and 10. Reflector 6 is provided with an incandescent lamp 11 mounted in socket 12. Electric current is supplied through cable 13 controlled by switch 14. Top 15 is opaque except for window 16 which is clear plate glass. Top 15 is provided with an adjustable back stop 17 which may be fixed in position by wing bolt 18. Top 15 is shielded by hood 19 spaced from top 15 forming an inspection chamber having an opening 20 over which is 40 mounted auxiliary inspection chamber 21 with eye slit 22.

In use the belly 23 is slipped under hood 19 over window 16. Light is reflected through the belly and the belly visually inspected through slit 22 of chamber 21. The presence of seeds is readily ascertainable. The narrowness of slit 22 prevents undesirable illumination from the top and the width of opening-20 in hood 19 permits observation of a large area of the product at one glance.

The height of chamber 21 enables the operator to inspect the product while manipulating it with his hands. It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction, design and materials used without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A belly inspection device consisting of a movable table having a transparent window in the top thereof, a source of light arranged to cause light to pass upwardly through said window, an adjustable back stop mounted upon said table top, and a hood over said table top spaced therefrom and forming an inspection chamber in which a belly may be readily moved about provided with an auxiliary inspection chamber having a narrow slit in the top thereof to permit visual inspection of bellies placed in the path of the light.

2. A belly inspection device consisting of a movable table having a transparent window in the top thereof, a source of light arranged to cause light to pass upwardly through said window, and a hood over said table top spaced therefrom and forming an inspection chamber in which a belly may be readily moved about provided with an auxiliary inspection chamber having a narrow slit in the top thereof to permit visual inspection of bellies placed in the path of the light.

CARL L. LOHNER. 

